Acceptance
by Pinoko K
Summary: Ending Spoiler. Bound by her throne, the princess of Dalmasca realized she could never get what she really wanted: a certain sky pirate. Such was a small price to pay for the sake of her country. Sometimes, acceptance is for the best. Edited.
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: This is for my own amusement, not for profit. Final Fantasy and all its characters belong to Square Enix. I don't own them. If they were mine, there would've been a remake of FFIV and FFVI on PS3.

_Acceptance  
by Pinoko K_

**Chapter One - The Princess**

Ashelia B'nargin Dalmasca would have never thought she'd sigh deeply and so often again; at least she couldn't justify it rationally. Last time she had felt so alone had been during her two-year underground hiding from the Empire. No longer had she had to hide. The rightful heir had claimed her country back from the Empire, with the help of her newfound allies. Under the starless sky of Rabanastre, Ashe stood proudly once more as Princess of Dalmasca, soon-to-be her new Queen.

Queen, Ashe mused wryly. Queen Ashelia, as she would be known to the world and the future written history from now on. The name did not roll nicely off her tongue, nor did it sound pleasant to her ears. She was supposed to be a princess, but not a queen. Her hands were meant to be in the arm of her prince, not on the arms of the throne.

Ashe let out another soft sigh. It was not her choice, she resigned. It had never been her own choice. Born to play the role of a beloved princess, later forced into the role of a resilient group leader, and now shouldered the role of a ruler; all drive by some mysterious force called fate. Such was the story of Ashelia B'nargin Dalmasca.

Standing alone on the royal palace balcony, the princess stared out at the Bahamut ruin, as she had been doing every night since her official return to Dalmasca. Her eyes were unfocused; her thoughts miles away. The unseen crown on her head as the queen was taken off and carefully tugged away in her mind. For now anyway. For a few precious moments, Ashelia was just a young woman. One who had fought for the freedom for her country, and won.

The cost for freedom was high. A bit too high, if she would allow herself to admit selfishly. Nothing could be more precious than freedom for her own people, Ashe knew. Yet, no matter how much she willed herself to think as a queen first, woman second, she couldn't bring herself to justify her personal price for freedom: the deaths of those she loved for the sake of her country. First her husband, then her father, and later…

The princess put a quick halt on her train of thoughts. It was a dangerous zone she was treading; she could feel the unbreakable facade she had been trying to hard to build starting to crack if she were to let herself continue on the list of lost love ones.

There was never a confirm death of a certain sky pirate. She steeled herself and squared her shoulders.

But it had been months since the selfless sacrifice of the seemingly selfish sky pirate…

No, Balthier couldn't die. _He must not die._ Ashe closed her eyes and swallowed hard, ignoring the sudden painful lump in her throat.

_Princess. No need to worry. I hope you haven't forgotten my role in this little story._

She opened her eyes and relaxed visibly as she heard his voice echoed through her mind. How could she have forgotten his role in her story? He had been more than the leading man he'd so haughtily claimed to be on more than one occasions. Unbeknown to any of her allies, or even to herself to some extend at times when she'd turned a blind-eye on her own feelings, the sky pirate had become her stone pillar she'd found herself unwittingly leading against at times of her weakness. She had sought for his approval more than once, openly so, like a child seeking praise from her tutor: if Balthier'd said she would be strong enough, then she must be strong enough. His approval had given her strength, be it by words or a simple nod.

Such had been the power this sky pirate'd had over her. He had made her believe in herself, believe in the impossible task of reclaiming her country. With his borrowed strength, both in physically battles to reclaim her throne and her internal struggle with the Gods, against all odds, she had won. Now, all alone in the night, she would need to draw strength from him again, strength from his final words, for those were all she had from him. Once more, she would have to believe in another impossible – his survival.

_I am the leading man._

His words were strangely spoken in his usual casual tone despite the tense situation. There might even have been a touch of tenderness in his voice, though Ashe didn't dare to entertain that idea. As confident as ever, he'd ensured her his immortality, done his best to put her at ease. Ashe desperately needed to believe him and his claim. For it was her only hope. And to lose that flickering flame of hope, to fathom the idea of him sacrificed himself for the safety of Rabanastre, it wouldn't just break her heart, for it had already been broken too many times, it would simply pulverize what's left of it.

"Please, come back," Ashe mumbled underneath her breath unconsciously. "If you die… If you die, I…" she quickly pursed her lips thin and stopped herself, half afraid she would spill her weakness to the still air of the warm Dalmascan night. Those few words were the very same ones she had wanted to tell him, had she the courage. It had left unspoken at the very last moment when she had begged him to return. What good would it do had she confessed her feelings? She had constantly wondered ever since the fall of the ruin, and every single time her answer would be the same: nothing. Perhaps it was an excuse for her lack of courage; or perhaps she had only been realistic.

After all, she was a princess; he was a pirate. She had Dalmasca; he had Fran…

"Fool…" Ashe shook her head and berated herself in frustration, turning her back to the Bahamut ruin, as if it would make her thoughts stray away from the sky pirate. She focused her eyes on a pair of spotless glass doors leading to the interior of her private quarters. How she would gladly trade the intricately decorated metal-framed glass doors for a pair of weather-worn wooden ones, her empty palace for a cozy small room in the street of Rabanastre. If only she could be a commoner, free to live and love as her heart desired…

Ashe let out another exasperating sigh, quite disappointed in herself for letting lose in her secret fantasy. A fantasy she could never have attained in spite of, or because of, her status as the sole survivor of the Dynast-King bloodline. A fantasy as unattainable as the heart of the missing sky pirate. A small personal price to pay for the good of all her people, the future queen reasoned, drowning the desperate cry and need from the woman within. As always, the queen in her won.

Ashe dared to take one last look at the dark silhouette of Bahamut ruin before turning in for the night. She would need whatever restless sleep she could get every night. For by sunrise, she would have to yet again pick up the unseen crown in her mind and play the role of the future Queen.

"Goodnight, Father. Goodnight, Rasler." She whispered under her breath while looking up in the starless sky, as if both were watching over her. The thought of it gave her rare comfort.

"Goodnight, B-," she caught herself before she could finish the name. Crutching her fists tightly by her sides in frustration, she silently cursed herself for letting her thoughts drifted back to the sky pirate once more. She would never admit it, not even to herself, but she did miss him. Terribly.

He would come back, Ashe reassured herself. She had to believe. He would come back for his Strahl, as he had said. Not for her, but for his airship. It mattered not to her, the princess convinced herself with resignation, so long as he survived.

For if he died, she…

_You know what they say about the leading man?…._

Yes, she knew. Ashe knew by heart. With the fond memories of the shrewdly and somewhat irritably cocky grin of the sky pirate, Ashelia B'nargin walked back to her quarter with one single thought in her head.

The leading man never dies.

--

Next: The Ring

A/N: In the Japanese ending, Ashe's last line to Balthier was "If you die… If you die, I…" She never finished her sentence, but it certainly speaks volume of her feelings for the sky pirate. Too bad the English version has changed that to simply "Please, Balthier, come back." The lack of that single line was what sparked this story in my head.


	2. Chapter 2

Disclaimer: This is for my personal amusement, not for profit. Final Fantasy and all its characters belong to Square Enix. I don't own them. If they were mine, there would've been FFVIII-2 based on Altol's Fire and Ice.

**Chapter Two - The Ring**

Ashelia couldn't breath, nor did she realize it. A huge lump was caught in her throat, blocking her airflow. Her mouth opened and closed, gasping like a fish out of the river; it was anything but regal, though the princess couldn't care less.

Her blue eyes fixed unbelievably on the tiny object in her hand: the ring, the very same wedding ring once belonged to her late husband, later ransomed by the sky pirate. It was now nesting on her shaking palm, threatened to drop on the stone-tilted floor.

The ring had been hand-delivered by Penelo a short moment ago. Though the girl hadn't say much about her sudden delivery, the look on her young face had been a slight sympathetic one. As for why, Ashe did not know; she was never one who pried. Penelo had left shortly after, leaving her alone with the small leather pouch and its content – the ring and a small note.

The Dalmascan hot sun shone brightly on the ring; its precious metal absorbed the heat greedily. The platinum band began to feel too warm in her hand, though it's nowhere as burning as the tears stinking her eyes.

Finally survival instinct took over and she choked, taking in a desperate need of oxygen. The warm air filled her lungs and cleared her mind somewhat. There was only one single thought in her mind.

Balthier was alive.

This simple conclusion was too much for her to bear. Ashe's knees gave in and she crumbled on the sun-burnt floor of the balcony, clenching the wedding band tightly in her hand as though her life depended on it. Her manicured nails dug into the flesh of her palm rather painfully; it was the only reminder that she was not at all dreaming. Tears streamed down from her face, yet she couldn't find her voice to cry out loud, and for that, she was glad. She would not want the entire palace to witness the raw emotions of their princess. For a long quiet moment, Ashelia just sat on the floor and wept silently, unbecomingly so, and let go of her all repressed emotions, years overdue.

Balthier was alive. But he wasn't here…

That realization snapped her back to reality as hard as a smack on her face would've felt. Gathering her wits and dignity as much as she could, Ashe stumbled back her on feet rather ungracefully and reached for the tiny parchment inside the leather pouch.

_Give this to our Queen for me, would you?_

The princess felt a twitched inside her; an unseen dagger pricked softly at her heart. She willed her hands to stop shaking, failing miserably so, and turned to note over to examine the other side of the message. There had to be something more to it. Just _had_ to.

_Something more valuable: The Cache of Glabados. I await in Bervenia._

Ashe couldn't believe her eyes; she read and reread the sentence a few times over.

Something more valuable. Not her.

The ring was returned as promised for a new treasure. A new treasure. Not her.

Then something inside her head clicked. The dagger drove home and went for the kill.

Despite the hot afternoon sun, Ashelia was cold and frozen, as though she had been standing naked in Paramina Rift for hours . She plainly couldn't feel anything anymore. Tears on her face were dried by the heat; her red brimmed eyes were the only evidence of their presence a short moment ago. The wedding band burnt her still clenched palm, and Ashe hastily tossed it on the stone table. Its silk decorative table runner softened the landing of the ring, sending it to rotate only once or twice before lying still by the discarded parchment.

The ring and the note. Both staring back at her mockingly. Both were as cursed as Malboro's breath. One had instantly mended the princess' once broken heart, the other had mercilessly pulverized it beyond recognition.

"Lady Ashe," a voice brought her out of her reverie. "Lord Larsa's representative has arrived."

Ashe both cursed and thanked the intrusion. Steadying her voice as much as she could, and careful not to turn and face the messenger, Ashe waved a dismissive hand. "I shall be there at once." It was no more than a mumble, but evidentially enough to send the messenger along his way.

Ashelia squared her shouldered and steeled herself. She was to be the queen of her beloved country soon; personal feelings – and heartbreak, if she was honest to herself – were a luxury she couldn't afford if they hindered her performance as a new ruler.

Dalmasca needed her; Balthier did not.

Ashelia B'nargin Dalmasca had to be strong, for her country's sake… and for herself.

--

"You have missed her, haven't you?"

"Why, of course I have," the sky pirate grinned as he ran a loving hand on the control console from the pilot seat. "And I must say Vaan did a good job taking care of her for me."

"I wasn't talking about the ship." The viera responded.

"You think the boy would come along?" He dodged her question rather clumsily. The sky pirate obviously wasn't at his best; his mind was miles away…

Though she wasn't going to let him off the hook that easily, it would seem. "_'Something more valuable'_, was it really necessary?" One of her fine eyebrow raised at her partner in crime.

He hid a wince. "Yes," his tone was suddenly serious. The viera could probably sense the truth from his voice as well as the struggle underneath it. She looked as though she'd almost countered, but stopped when he spoke up once more. "How else could I have lured the boy out to join our treasure hunting?" He asked with a cat grin and a raise of his own eyebrow at her. Once again, his shrewd self was back. He was thankful for its timely presence.

The sky pirate turned his head away from his partner and focused once again on the sky in front of him. He knew he could never stop her from reading him like an open book; the best he could do was to keep his face from her ever perceptive gaze, at least for now.

"The coronation, are you planning to attend?"

He scowls slightly, not at his partner, but rather at her words. "Have we the invitation?" He replied with a quick shrug.

"Do you ever need one?" Came the smug reply.

"Do I not?" He let out a dramatic sigh, obviously in jest. "Fran, please. I am neither the young King of Archadia, nor the Prince of Rozzaria…" He knotted his eyebrows and snorted curtly at the thought of Rozzarian flamboyant prince. The mere mention of that particular prince left a bitter taste in his mouth.

He could sense the viera rolled her eyes ever-so slightly. She knew he was dancing around the subject, and he knew she recognized that. Though his partner didn't bother to press on with it further. Thankfully, she had an uncanny understanding of him. No words were needed between the two partners as they soared through the clear sky, heading towards their next destination.

Honestly, who was he to waltz into the life of a queen? He was but a sky pirate. Of course, Balthier never needed to voice his thought out loud. He suspected his partner in crime had already picked it up in his eyes. One quick glance over to the viera on the co-pilot seat confirmed his suspicion. Balthier exchanged a meaningful look with Fran that had said more than any words could. She understood him. Fran always did.

He could only wish the young queen would understand him. And forgive him.

Sometimes, acceptance was for the best.

--

Next: The Coronation.

A/N: Ashe's always alone, to show her thoughts I have to drill inside her head all the time; whereas Balthier has Fran to interact with, his thoughts can be shown through his words and reactions. Guess which of those two is easier to write?


	3. Chapter 3

Disclaimer: Final Fantasy and its characters belong to Square Enix. I don't own them. If they were mine, Zidane wouldn't have a tail in FFIX, Kuja would have more than a thong.

A/N: Ending spoiler for FFIX. Yes, IX. You've been warned.

**Chapter Three - The Coronation**

Ashelia couldn't explain why she picked up one of her childhood favorite storybooks. After all, it was the day of her coronation, the would-be queen should be doing anything but reading a silly story. Yet Ashe simply had too much in her mind; any source of diversion was more than welcome as the clock ticked away, counting down to the final moment til the ceremony. Countless emotions swirled inside her, some were familiar, some unknown; together they entangled and weaved into a heavy tapestry, cloaking her mind, shrouding her heart.

All she wanted right now was a very simple thing: to read this story, once again. Perhaps it was a familiar comfort the book brought her, a reminder of a happier, and certainly more innocent time. Or perhaps it was just a temporary escape, from her emotions, the reality, and most of all, from the thought of a sky pirate.

The sky pirate…

Ashe reached for a drawer in her desk and retrieved a small leather pouch. The very same one which once had been in the sky pirate's possession. She opened it gently and emptied it content on her palm. The wedding ring dropped first. It felt strangely cold in her warm hand. Two very different men had once possessed this ring; both she had loved, both she had spent too little time with, and both she had lost.

Putting down the ring, Ashe pulled out the small note still nestling inside the pouch. Unlike the ring, this note was his, and his only. His words, his letters, his message…

He had sent no words for the past weeks since his brief instruction to return the once ransomed wedding ring to "their Queen". Not one single word had been heard from him, and Ashe's heart had since been frozen. She couldn't feel the pain from his rejection, nor could she feel the lost from his absence. Balthier was alive and well, and it was all that mattered, as she had convinced herself quite successfully. What more could she ask for? He belonged to the sky; she belonged to Dalmasca…

Ashe took one last glance at the notice. His words still hurt her, if she would let herself feel it, though nowhere as painful as the very first time she'd read it. Cutting as it might be, the note was the one and only thing of him she would ever have. No matter how hurtful his message was, Ashe still treasured it more than any priceless trinkets in the palace.

With utmost care, Ashelia tugged the tiny parchment back in its protective pouch along with the wedding band, putting it back in the drawer before she turned her attention back to her childhood storybook.

The story was not one of those typical fairy tales, instead it was an adventure of a vagrant princess. Vagrant princess - the very same description that had been used on herself not so long ago, Ashe reflected. The princess in the story was from a far away kingdom named Alexandria, where she met a thief and asked him to kidnap her away from the castle.

"_Kidnap me!" The princess of Alexandria demanded the thief. _The princess of Dalmasca chuckled a bit at that line. It sounded all too familiar…

_Steal me! _

Ashe's lips curled up in a bitter smile as she recalled her own rendition of the kidnap demand to her own pirate. Life imitating art… Gingerly she flipped through the pages of the leather-bound story book.

The thief in the story agreed to take the princess with him, just as the pirate in her own story had compiled to her own request. Together, along with their friends, the book's thief and princess had gone on an adventure to save her kingdom. They won, of course, and the princess' kingdom was restored. But not without a price. For the thief had gone missing after a hard-fought battle, presumed dead. The princess, though heart broken, moved on with her life and became the queen of her kingdom. On the day of coronation…

"Your Highness, everything is ready," a voice called out from the doorway. Yes, it was time for the coronation ceremony, wasn't it? But Ashe couldn't bring herself to step out of her bedchamber, not just yet. She had no idea what she was waiting for. Something? Or someone, perhaps?

"In a moment," the princess replied with a slight hint of impatience. She then heard soft footsteps shuffling away from her doorway. With an edgy sigh, Ashe once again turned her attention to the book in her hands.

The princess of Alexandria was crowned the new queen, yet she wasn't happy. No amount of cheers from her people could bring a smile to the young queen's face. Then, a play in the honor of the new queen was performed. Still, not even the magnificent performance could brighten the queen's heart. Until the cloaked figure in the play pulled off his black cloak and revealed to be the missing thief. The queen rushed to the thief, glaring at whoever dared to stop her. On her way to him, her heirloom crystal pendant fell on the ground, yet the queen didn't bother to pick it up. She had a greater treasure waiting. In his open arms she went, and stayed…

"Your Highness," another intrusion from the hallway. "Marquis Ondore sent words-"

"Tell him I am on my way," Ashe interrupted the messenger rather abruptly. She waited a few moments until footsteps faded away and put down the storybook.

The princess of Dalmasca walked towards the pair of glass doors leading to her private balcony. Though she chose to remain indoor, not wanting to be seen by anyone. For reasons beyond herself, she was trying to delay the ceremony, she admitted to herself shamefully. Was she afraid to take on the role of the ruler? Or was there something else? Ashe didn't want to think. She let her eyes wandered at the scene below her balcony. Faintly, she could see people gathering on the streets of Rabanastre, all waiting for her appearance, for the ceremony. She was the hope of all her people, Ashe realized. A new day, a new era, a hope of long-lasting peace. The responsibility came with such high hope was squarely hers to shoulder, and hers alone. As the sole heir to the throne of Dalmasca, Ashelia had found no other way to escape her fate.

… Beside running away with a certain sky pirate…

Ashe sighed in resignation. Fantasy was always more luring that reality. Yet fantasy was not where she lived in. With one last glance at the distant crowd, perhaps with the last hope of seeing a glimpse of some short brown hair, Ashe matched out of her bedchamber and into the waiting arms of all the Dalmascians.

--

Ashe couldn't remember much of the ceremony, she later on realized. Standing on an open carriage, the would-be queen dressed in the finest gown and waved at the crowd mechanically with a very faint smile plastering on her face. It reminded her too much of her wedding parade for her own liking. She'd had Rasler by her side then, her future had been bright. Yet now, she was all alone on the way to the grand staircase. And alone she would be as the next ruler of Dalmasca.

Once more, Marquis Halim Ondore was standing at the top of the stairs with his cane in his right hand. Marquis Ondore had been there to conduct ceremonies for her wedding, for all funerals, and now her own coronation. How much longer could Uncle Halim be able to stand by her side, she wondered idly. Ashe silently berated herself for thinking such ill thought of her beloved uncle. Yet the aspect of her truly being alone was more terrifying than she would've let on. Ashe felt her plastered smile start to fade.

Then, when she least expected, from the corner of her eyes, she spotted a head of short brown hair on a fairly tall man. Ashe chocked on her own breath as she felt her heart soared up to the sunny sky. Quickly and wildly she turned, without caring for the gasps from the crowd her suddenly movement had cause, nor how non-queenly she looked, nor the fact she almost stumbled off the carriage. She had to find the man who caught her attention before he disappeared in the crowd!

Though fate seemed to have another idea. Her eyes locked onto the brown-haired man's, and once more, her heart sunk back to the icy bottom. It wasn't Balthier. The disappointment on her face was painfully obvious, yet try as she might, she couldn't mask it any longer. She simply didn't have the strength to keep up her façade.

Thankfully, she didn't have to smile and wave anymore. The ride had stopped. All eyes were on her as she began her ascend on the red-carpeted stairs. Al-Cid Margrace was watching her through his sunglasses with his "little birds" forever guarding his side. Ashe could feel the intensity of his gaze as well as his appreciative smile, but she chose to ignore it. Larsa Solidor looked on with a content smile on his young face; Basch stood faithfully by the young king as Judge Magister Gabranth. Ashe couldn't bring herself to make eye contact with them either, for they might see all her emotions through her eyes. Lord Larsa was well-known to be wise beyond his years, after all.

Instead, she forced her eyes on the carpeted stairs in front of her every step. Her light silk gown suddenly felt heavier than any full heavy armor she had every put on, effectively slowing her pace as she approached the top. The knot inside her grew tighter and tighter as her anxiety became almost unbearable. At this very moment, Ashe would rather go fight Yiazmat than to take that very last step of the stairs.

The princess could feel her Uncle Halim's proud gaze upon her. She somehow felt rather ashamed, as if her momentary weakness had betrayed Marquis Ondore's faith in her. Though Ashe really couldn't help but feel as though she was caught wearing her mother's exquisite evening gown, trying to fit into something that was too big for her to handle gracefully. She could only hope that she'd be half the ruler her father once used to be.

Standing in front of Marquis Ondore, Ashe humbly lowered her head and went down on her knees. The powerful voice of the Marquis flew right by her ears. All she could hear was her own pounding heartbeats. Ashe could've sworn if it weren't for her mouth being shut tight, her heart would've jump right out of her chest.

It was not until she felt a light tap on her shoulder by the ceremonial blade that she realized the ceremony was coming to the next phase. Ashelia looked up and dutifully recite her oath to Dalmasca. Both with pride and fear. She could barely contain the tears from her eyes when Marquis Ondore carefully placed the ceremonial crown on top of her head. The crown was heavily made with gold and platinum, adorned with countless diamonds and other precious stones. Too heavy to be worn comfortably. But it was the weight of Dalmasca she felt crushing on her shoulders that had almost caused her to buckle.

Almost.

Ashe caught herself and put on her best regal look. She reminded herself that, somewhere beyond this mortal plain, her father, her mother, as well as all her brothers and Rasler were all watching over her; Ashelia B'nargin must not disappoint. With a perfect posture that would've made her mother proud, Queen Ashelia raised from her kneeing position and turned to face the roaring crowd.

So that was it. Her fate was sealed. She was now a queen and would die a queen. Her life belonged to Dalmasca. For all the hopeful faces in front of her, Ashe's loneliness would indeed to be a small price to pay.

Though, somewhere deep within, perhaps the last flame of hope hadn't been extinguished, as the new queen caught herself unconsciously scanning amongst countless faces, looking for a particular one that had been haunting her dreams, occupying her mind. She stopped her searching gaze and forced herself to smile and wave at her people.

Queen Ashelia was no fool; she knew she would be sorely disappointed if she had expected to see her sky pirate dashing through the crowd, waiting for her with open arms.

The young queen of Alexandria in the story had a happy ending, but the young queen of Dalmasca wasn't naïve enough to expect one of her own. After all, Ashelia B'nargin's story was never meant to be a fairy tale. Her hands were meant to be on the arms of the throne, never to be in the arm of a sky pirate.

She had her land; he had his sky. Was that not enough?

Queen Ashelia dared not answer.

--

Next: The Leading Man.

A/N2: This chapter is dedicated to my BFF Eregil, the very same of Silence: Vincent Valentine message board fame. We had a long and serious discussion on who should be crowning Ashe. Since there's no one really appropriate for the job, we settled on Ondore. Eregil didn't think her own uncle should do the job cause they're related and Ondore's a leader himself, but we had no choice. Personally, I'd love to see Al-Cid crowning Ashe, just to piss off Balthier. You know he'd be jealous.


	4. Chapter 4

Disclaimer: Final Fantasy and its characters belong to Square Enix. I don't own them. If they were mine, FFXII's leading man would've been, who else, Mr. Bunansa.

**Chapter Four - The Leading Man**

"Her smile, it doesn't reach her eyes." The viera observed keenly.

"It's not easy being a queen, you know?" The sky pirate replied with his usual casual tone and a wry grin, enough to fool anyone but his partner.

Balthier folded his arms across his chest, fixing his gaze on new queen in the distance. The pair of pirates were two among hundreds of speculators in the crowd watching the coronation ceremony of Queen Ashelia B'nargin of Dalmasca. Though instead of choosing a prime spot for viewing, just like everyone else in the crowd fighting each other for the best view of their new queen, Balthier had deliberately picked a more discreet one, semi-hidden in the shadow of one of many stone pillars spanning along the streets of Rabanastre. He didn't need to see the queen's face, Fran concluded silently; he knew her features by heart. Yet Fran knew that wasn't the reason behind his odd choice of an obscure location.

"Are you not planning to see her?" She shifted her gaze from the young queen to her partner. His casual smile did not reach his eyes either, she noticed.

"I am! Just as everyone around here," he paused and waved one arm lazily around him to indicate the enthusiastic crowd of native Rabanastrians and tourists. Tugging his arm back across his chest, he leaned back to the stone pillar behind him, as suavely as ever. Or so he seemed. "Everyone is here to see _our_ Queen."

"Are you not planning to see her?" Fran repeated, with the same neutral tone. The only difference was a slight raise of her fine eyebrow.

Something flickered in his eyes for a second. She saw it, yet she said nothing. "Please, Fran," he started again, curling one side of his lips up into a mocking smirk. "I doubt I am on the list of guests of honor."

"I doubt anyone on her 'official' list is more welcomed than you." Fran countered with a slight smirk on her face.

"We have no invitation," he offered half-heartedly, sidestepping the direction of the conversation and the undertone of her statement. His eyes stayed on Ashe. She was still standing high up in the balcony, waving at her people, wearing a faint diplomatic but mechanic smile. Her eyes were searching among the crowd. Searching… Balthier shifted a bit more into the shadow. "Don't want to crush her party by matching into the palace uninvited, now, do we?"

Fran noticed both Ashe's searching gaze, as well as her partner's further concealment in the shadow. Hume, she could never fully understand them. "It would not be the first time we matched into this particular palace uninvited." She stated as a fact, with a bit of a smile in her tone.

"Indeed," he recalled quite fondly with a smile that almost touched the corner of his eyes, though he could only hold it briefly. "But, remember, Fran? Last time there was a royal treasure that worth risking our dear necks."

"And this time there is not?" She countered, almost condescendingly.

He heaved a heavy sigh and torn his stare from Ashe's form, turning his head away from his observant partner.

Fran waited for a few moments for his response, giving him enough time to collect his wits. When she knew he wouldn't bother, she continued. She never meant to pester her loyal partner, but his mind was shrouded, his heart clouded. Balthier needed help. "Are you afraid she would ask you to steal her once more?"

This time, his smile finally reached his eyes. Was it because of memories or the possibility she had just suggested, Fran couldn't tell.

"Why, Fran?" He turned his head back to her and looked straight into her ruby eyes, cocking up one eyebrow in jest. "Is the current bounty on my head not high enough to deem worthy to be your partner? Kidnapping royalty wouldn't do any good on my bounty, you know?"

"Nor did it stop you last time." Another deadpan reminder from the viera.

"At her request, if you would recall. It wouldn't do for a leading man to refuse the request of a princess, would it?" He put on his best flamboyant tone, very convincing indeed, Fran had to give him credits for that. Felling back in silence as his cat grin fainted away, the sky pirate glanced over to the Queen once again, seemingly lost in his memories for a second.

"And should she ask again?"

"She was a princess, one who was presumed to be dead," he responded quietly, letting out a quiet sigh under his breath, one not meant to be heard by anyone. Any hume at least. The viera's sensitive ears had no problem picking it up. "Now she is a queen. Quite alive and well-loved by her people, it would seem." He studied the Queen for a moment before he continued, almost mumbling to himself. "She is strong enough. She doesn't need a sky pirate anymore."

"You would want to believe so," Fran replied, shifting her weight from one long leg to another. "Is it because you are afraid?" She challenged once more. He knew what she meant, she knew he did.

"Fran, please…" He sighed out loud in frustration and pushed himself away from the stone pillar. Turning away from the Queen without one last glance, Balthier headed towards the direction of Sandsea Tavern. "You know what I need right now?"

"I know," Fran followed him with a shake of her head, sending her long wavy white hair tumbled against her back. She would never fully understand hume, Fran concluded to herself. "But you don't."

Balthier chose to ignore her statement and led the way to the tavern, cutting through the thick crowd. All of them, Dalmascans or not, looked up to the young queen with such hope in their eyes.

Oh yes, he knew. Balthier knew too well.

She was a queen. He was a sky pirate. Nothing could ever change that.

And, for once he was willing to accept the reality without pushing his luck or cheating fate… all for her sake.

Queen Ashelia was strong enough to be a fine leader. She had no more need for a sky pirate, especially one with a hefty bounty on his head. With Dalmasca safely in the queen's delicate hands, their little story is completed.

Then again, who knew where his road would eventually lead to? He might just stop by from time to time for Rabanastrian famous brews. Not that the sky pirate ever needed an excuse to go anywhere. He had always let his heart guide him to treasures, be they in any shape or form… That would remain to be seen. For now, Sandsea Tavern and its fine brews awaited. A toast to the new queen is due, and, of course, a toast to himself for being the leading man who had helped made her dream a reality.

The leading man took a gracious bow in his mind as the unseen curtains fell, and held his head up to the sunny sky where he truly belonged. The sky was calling, treasures awaited. The sky pirate stole one final glance over his shoulder, allowing himself to burn the image of the young queen in his memory. Deep down, he knew a small part of him would always remain here in Rabanastre, forever by her side.

the end?

--

A/N: This ending was planned and written after I'd finished first chapter of this story. A few of you might be hating me right now for stopping here. Where's the Balthier/Ashe interaction? Where's the longing look or the tender touch? But I have to stick to the theme of this story, "acceptance", for both to move on to their paths, accepting their fate. That and I can't write romance to save my own life. Honestly, I was, and still am, very torn between sticking to my original ending, or expanding it and letting it grow into a different direction. There are fragments of addition scenes already written that are meant lead to a reunion, but nothing enough to compose a decent plot all while having them stay in character. So the original sad but realistic ending remains.

Enough of that. I have to thank Amanda here, without her, this story would never see the light, cause I didn't have the guts to post it here. And if I hadn't posted this, "Balthier's Nightmare" wouldn't even exist to start with. :D To each and every reviewer, thank you for taking time to let me know you're reading this little story. I honestly never expected any review for my story cause I am a notorious lazy reader myself who hardly ever reviews anything, save a few special ones, heh. So thank you, everyone, for all your kind words! To me, they mean more than anything you'd imagine. And to all the readers out there, thanks for reading this little story! Til next time. Pinoko


End file.
